Improvement in hydraulic elevators



ATENT FFICE.

HEEMON L. ENsIGN, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDRAULIC ELEVATORS.

Specification fornlin g part of Letters Patent N o. 123,161, datedJanuary 30, 1872.

SPECIFICATiON.

I, HERMON L. ENSIGN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented an Improvement in Hydraulic Elevators, of whichthe following is a specification:

The nature ofthe present invention consists in the novel constructionand arrangement of our elevating-tank and supply/tanks, whereby theelevating-tank is made to receive a suitable quantity of water toelevate the platform; and in the novel construction and combination of aballgovernor and brake, which are arranged to automatically control themovement of the platform, as the whole is hereinafter ful- 1y describedand shown.

In the drawing, Figure l is a side elevation of the drum, brake, andgovernor; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of the elevator as it is inposition in a building; Fig. 3, an enlarged bro ken sectional elevationof the elevating-tank and one of the snpply-tanks, showing the novelconstruction of the valves by means of which the elevatingtank isfilled.

E represents the vertical wall of a building, and F G H I the joistsforming the oors of the several stories. D represents an ordinaryelevating-platform, which is held/in position in its vertical movementby means of guides K K', Fig. 2, and which is raised and lowered bymeans of a rope, b, passing over a drum, R. The opposite end of the ropeb from that end fastened to the platform D is fastened to anelevating-tank, J, which is supplied with water from tanks A B G, ashereinafter shown, and which is held in proper position in its verticalmovement by means ofthe guide K. The lower ends ofthe tanks A B C,adjoining the elevating-tank J, are provided with valve-doors m, Fig. 3,Which are hung to the tanks at k, and swing inside of them, and whichare provided with projecting nbs f, extending outwardly to the valves asin the elevating-tank J. This valve w is hung to the tank at h, and isarranged to swing outwardly from it, and it is held shut as against thepressure in the tank J by means of a rubber strap, e, Fig. 3, which isfastened to the valve and tom'the opposite side of the tank from thevalve. The device for opening the valves m a: consists of a lever, j',which is pivoted to the tank J at a, and which is operated by a cord, c,passing over thesame drum R that the rope b passes; said cord cprojecting down to the platform D, so as to be in reach of the operator.This arrangement is such that, when the cord c is drawn upon, the shortend of the lever f7 will force the valvexopemand, consequently, forcethevalve m inwardly, so that water will readily dow from either of thetanks A B C into the tank J. The devices for braking or controling themotion of the drum R and movement' of the platform D are as follows: Abevel-gear wheel, l?, is fastened to the same shaft, Q, that the drum Ris, and, when rotated with the drum, drives a bevel-pinion, O. Thispinion supports two or more standards, Z, Fig. 1, to the top endsofwhich is fixed a sleeve, d, of suitable strength to support the leversv c of a ballgovernor, which are pivoted to it. lW Wrepresentconnecting-rods, which are jointed to the upper ends ofthe levers t o,and to an npper sleeve, said sleeve bearing on a shoulder formed on thebrake-rod U. This rod has bearings in an upper frame-piece, y, and in alower frame-piece, S, and to its lower end is fastened a curvedspring-brake, T, Figs. 1 and 2, which is formed on a quicker curve thanthe brake-wheel N, O11 which it operates, so that when the rod forcesthe springT down the latter will have a friction-surface of nearly itsentire lengt-h. The operation of the governor is such that when theballs are thrown outwardly by the increased motion of the pinion O theconnecting-rods lV will draw the sleevex downwardly, and, consequently,cause the rod U to move downwardly and set the brake T to thebrake-wheel N, inasmuch as the rod U only has a vertical movement, whilethe governor and sleeves rotate around it. The rod U also performs thefunction of holding the 'pinion O in position to rotate and carry thegovernor by means of the aforesaid standards Z. At the bottom of thetank J is a valve, r, which is operated by a cord, a, and used todischarge the water of tank J into any of the tanks A B (l by means of acurved pipe, g, said cord coming, after passing over the druln lt, downto within reach of the operator standing on platform D.

The operation is simple and as follows: The platform D in Fig. 2 isshown at the bottom of the lower story. Now, when any weight thereon isto be raised, sufficient water from tank A is to be let into tank J toelevate the platform and its load thereon, the valves closingautomatically when the cord o is loosened, and the tank J begins to movedown. Any of the tanks A B C can be used to supply tank J, aocordin g toits position, and the lower tanks Awill receive the Water from tank Jwhen it has too much therein to elevate a light load. In practice Iintend to use any suitable stopping device, so that the plat-form may beheld in any given position, and so that the valves m w may be heldopposite to each other when the tank J is being filled. By this means asimple, cheap, and safe elevator is provided, saving the cost of anengine and liability of fire theretached to the tank to use in case ofre in other parts of a building. The eleva-tor is adapted to all placeswhere a sufficient supply of water can be had at a suitable height ina.building.

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United Statesl. Thecombination of the platform D, elevating-tank J, one or moresupply-tanks, A B C, brakeT U, and governor t Vila;l d Z, as set forth.

2. The combination of valves m a: 1, nibs f, tanks A B C, platform D,rope b, rubber strap e, and governor, as described and set forth.

HERMON L. ENSIGN.

Witnesses:

G. L. GHAPIN, E. J. OHAPIN.

